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NB: This newsletter is published every Monday. Point your browser to www.spontaneousdevelopment.com/sdnuggets to read at least ONE new post added to my SD Nuggets blog on a different category from Tuesday till Saturday (sometimes even Sundays) in line with this publishing schedule 
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No. 130: Speak For a Worthy Cause!
As an expert in your chosen field there’s no doubt your aim is to prosper. Focussing on your “business” and avoiding distractions is therefore essential.
However, in this issue I explain why speaking for a cause you believe in can also help you progress, even as it can contribute to dramatic improvement in the lives of others around you!
So, Tayo, Where’s This All Coming From?
Well, since last December, when I went home to spend the holidays with my family, I’ve been thinking a lot about my country, Nigeria.
Sadly, nothing had changed since 1st April 2013, when I left. If anything the situation was worse!
All through my 3 week stay with my wife and kids, we kept buying fuel to power the generator so we could have electricity.
I felt that during such a festive period, especially with me being around, it would be unfair for the kids to not be able to at least watch movies, and charge the MP3 players I bought them etc (It was Christmas for heaven’s sake!).
And they are far from being rich.
Many do not own cars. Most use motor bikes. But, they are COMFORTABLE, and contented. Very rarely do you hear them raise their voices to their kids, or themselves.
They don’t experience enough stress to warrant that!
I could go on, but I think you get the picture. Simply put, without being rich, they live well.
In contrast, EVERY single day I spent in Nigeria really tested my patience!
I had to do my writing against the combined noises from at least 8 generators of different sizes from neighbours in my compound and next door, along with mine.
And this noise, with attendant fumes, often remained through the night – because the heat made many people leave their generators on, so they could use the fans to keep the kids cool!
Yet, many of these people own their own cars.
Compared to my neighbours in Benin Republic, you would imagine they would be living better.
The truth is they are not!
People hurling insults at, and speaking impatiently to one another, is a very common sight in my country. People are under so much pressure from a variety of sources…
There’s only so much stress the human mind can take!
Yes. This is the truth. Life is needlessly harsh in my country.
Costs of everything – especially food – keep rising because lack of power makes most people resort to SPENDING scarce money to generate their own electricity.
They then pass such extra expenses to the products and services they sell.
And it’s a vicious cycle – because every Nigerian is affected…even the rich.
Before I returned to Nigeria, after my father’s 80th birthday celebration, I watched him put on a rechargeable battery powered fan that was given to him as a gift.
He left it on and fell asleep under the cool breeze for over 4 hours!
In his duplex, my father has a powerful inverter that can supply electricity to the house for 3 days, without being recharged.
The problem is sometimes the power company does NOT supply power for over a day (sometimes many days!). And when they do supply power, they cut it off in a few hours.
So he has to buy fuel and run his generator to charge his inverter i.e. he spends DOUBLE just to have power!
[NB: To make things worse, despite not supplying power, Nigeria’s power company sends out bills often totalling crazy figures, to users monthly. Anyone who does not pay gets cut off the grid. I believe Nigeria is the only country where people are forced to pay for power NOT provided. And most PAY too. Amazing!]
Think about it. My father is 80 years old. And he lives with my mother who is in her late 60s.
Both live alone. Yet they have to worry about buying fuel worth over N1, 000 every other day, and also going through the stress of starting and stopping the generator etc.
In Cotonou, I see aging people like them, who are retired, living without stress every day!
Sadly, Nigeria’s Elite Remain Divided In Their Approach to Demanding Change
Which brings me to the point I wish to make. My country is blessed with many highly intelligent and (presumably?) well educated people in their 30s, 40s and above.
Many call in on TV and Radio programmes to speak intelligently on why Nigeria continues to make citizens suffer the above indignities.
And they should know – since everyone of them has to deal with those challenges daily. The only difference is that some people have greater means (money, resources etc) than others.
So we feel the pains to different extents. But we all feel it.
The elites are often the best placed to influence government. But most feel since they can afford to generate their own power, they won’t “break a leg” over it.
Yet, the poor, who suffer the most, do not have the means to make themselves heard!
Now, don’t get me wrong. It’s not that some elites are not trying to do something.
It’s just that many seem to have individual ulterior and selfish motives driving their actions. And this is being exploited by the government they challenge to weaken their ranks.
Final Words: The Need to Speak Up for a Worthy Cause
I personally feel the benefit of access I’ve had to places where ordinary people live better, in other countries, makes it imperative that I speak out, on what can be done.
This is not an attempt to preach at anyone. One need not get abusive either. But the truth must be told.
Below is a screenshot of an opinion I recently posted on Facebook, in which I spoke my mind about the RIGHT way to evaluate whether or NOT a country is really doing well.
I did not have to say the above.
But my conscience would not let me rest. And my intuition drove me to “speak up”…
When I was typing those words, I felt like I was in trance. I just kept typing on my Blackberry till the end. Then after I posted it, I felt so drained. That was when I knew I’d done the right thing!
As an expert, you can put your critical thinking skills to use for the benefit, not just of yourself, but also of society in general.
Honest others will recognize your selfless actions for what they are.
Over time, this can boost your reputation, and open doors of opportunities you never even imagined!
However, if you’re doing well, and things are going wrong , with people around you being oppressed, abused, or denied their rights and you say/do nothing, your INACTION will say a lot about who you are.
And one day, you WILL pay the price for your being that way!
Have a great week :-))
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Tayo K. Solagbade*
Self-Development/Performance Improvement Specialist
*Sole Agent For Burt Dubin’s Speaker Mentoring Service In Africa
Mobile: +234-803-302-1263 (in Nigeria) or +229-66-122-136 (in Benin Republic)
http://www.spontaneousdevelopment.com
Self-Development/Performance Enhancement Specialist – Tayo Solagbade – works as a multipreneurial freelance writer providing zero risk article and report writing support for website owners, while travelling slowly across West Africa as a Location Independent Multipreneur.
He’s presently based in Benin Republic, where he’s preparing an English-French Language Guide, City Travel Guides, and a Commercial Rabbit Farming Guide.
He earns multiple streams of income providing clients with performance improvement training/coaching, custom MS Excel-VB solutions, web marketing systems, freelance writing services, and best practice extension support services (for farm business owners).
In a previous life, before leaving to become self-employed, Tayo served for seven years as a high performing manager in Guinness Nigeria. He rose from Shift Brewer, to Training & Technical Development Manager, then later acted in senior management roles as Production Manager and Technical Manager.
When he’s not amazing clients with his superhuman skills (wink), Tayo works as the creative force behind his Self-Development Nuggets™ blog, and Public Speaking IDEAS newsletter (which he publishes to promote Burt Dubin’s Public Speaking Mentoring service to experts working across the African continent).
For a limited time, Tayo is available to speak to your group or organization for a moderate fee. Send e-mail to tayo at tksola dot com. You can also visit www.tksola.com to learn more.
Connect with him on Twitter @tksola.com and Facebook.
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